Latch bolt



May 23, 1939. R, E, BLUE 2,159,315

LATCH BOLT Filed March 16, 1938 /NVENTOR y org/ E ,Blzzn RYA/YWATTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1939 2,159,315

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCH BOLT Roy E. Blue, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation ofDelaware Application March 16, 1938, Serial No. 196,127

7 Claims. (Cl. 292-2) This invention relates to an improved latchembodied in a vehicle body, but it will be underbolt, and particularlyto a device of this charstood that it may be used with any two membersacter for cooperating with the striker plate of a which move relative toeach other, Without devehicle door. parting from the scope of theinvention.

One object of the invention resides in the The improved latch bolt,generally indicated 5. Av

provision of an improved latch bolt having a by the numeral IU, isslidably mounted as at II keeper engaging end portion around which isdisand I2 in the door structure I3 and also in a posed a wear resistingsheathing, and having a bearing element I4 of the door structure. Thisresilient material interposed between the sheathlatch bolt comprises aslotted portion I5 having ing and the keeper engaging end portion to asubstantially flat end face or shoulder I 6, and 10; serve as ayieldable back and sound insulator. a reduced end portion I'I slidablymounted in the Other objects of the invention are to provide bearingelement I4. A yieldable means, such as a latch bolt of this kind whichcompletely inthe spring I 8 which is interposed between the sulates thewear resisting sheathing from the bearing element I i and the bodyportion of the keeper engaging end portion while resiliently latch bolt,normally urges the latch bolt out- 15. accommodating relative yieldingmovement wardly against the action of which it may be therebetween; andto provide in a latch bolt of retracted by turning a handle I9,journalled in this character a means for conveniently holding the doorstructure I3, in a clockwise direction. the Wear resisting sheathing,the resilient mate- The door handle I9 has a stem 20 extending into rialand the keeper engaging end portion in an the door structure andprovided on its inner end 20 assembled state whereby the sheathing andthe with a cam 2| which bears against the shoulder end portion arecompletely insulated from each I6 formed on the latch bolt. other andwhile resilient relative yieldingA move- Formed on the keeper engagingend portion of ment is accommodated therebetween. the latch bolt I0 is areduced portion 22 having Additional objects of the invention are toprospaced notches 23 formed in and open at the 25,. vide in a latch boltof this character a resilient upper side and adjacent lateral sideportions means for cushioning the action of the striker thereof, asviewed in Figs. 1 and 3. A transplate with which it cooperates duringlatching versely extending groove 24 is formed in the operation; and toprovide resilient means of this lower side of the reduced part 22. Alayer of l character which has sound insulating propertiessound-absorbing, resilient material, such as rubfor interrupting thedirect transmission of sound ber 25, is disposed around the reducedportion vibrations to the structure on which the latch 22. Surroundingthe layer of rubber 25 is a Wear bolt is mounted and for deadening thenoise resisting sheathing 28 having a pair of spaced, resulting fromengagement and disengagement inwardly extending flanges 21 on one of itsend 3o of the latch bolt and the striker plate. portions which extendinto corresponding upper 35 Other objects and advantages of theinvennotches 23 and having a flange 28 extending tion will be moreapparent from the following entirely across its other end portion anddisposed description'taken in connection with the accomin the groove 24.These anges hold the sheathpanying drawing, in which: ing 26 and thelayer of rubber 25 in place. The

do. Fig. l is a partial horizontal sectional view of sheet-like soundabsorbing material 25 is re- 40 a door and associated door poststructure showversely bent within the notches 23 and groove 24 ing alatch bolt embodying the invention. and the flanges 2l and 28 aredisposed between Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational View theadjacent side sections of these reversely bent of a latch bolt embodyingthe invention taken parts of the layer 25, The sheathing 26prefapproximately as indicated by the line 2 2 of erably comprisesresilient material and is pref- 45 Fig. 1. erably so formed as tonormally contract in a Fig. 3 is a sectional View along the line 3-3 ofmanner which causes it to resiliently grip upon Fig. 2. the outer endportion of the latch bolt and to Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sideelevational View urge the flanges 2l and 28 into the notches 23 of alatch bolt corresponding to Fig. 2 but illusand groove 24 respectively.If desired, the 50 trating-amodied form ofthe invention. sheathing 26may be formed of any suitable Fig. 5 isa sectional View taken asindicated by material which will take a substantially perthe line 5--5of Fig. 4. manent set and in this case the sheathing may In the form ofthe invention illustrated in be squeezed to a tight tting relationshipas the oo; Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the improved latch bolt is outer endof the latch bolt and the anges are 55 forced into the notches andgroove in any suitable manner. The sheathing 26 and rubber layer arethus securely held against both lateral and longitudinal displacementfrom the bolt. If desired, the rubber layer may be adhered or bonded byvulcanization to the bolt and sheathing or to either thereof.

The sheathing 26, the rubber 25 and the reduced portion 22 are soconstructed and arranged that the reduced portion 22 and the sheathing26 are completely insulated from each' other against jar and noise, andaccommodate through the rubber 25, resilient relative yielding movementtherebetween. Y

Any suitable member, such as the striker plate 3U, may be used tocooperate with the improved latch bolt I0 in releasably holding the doorstructure I3 against opening. The striker plate 36 is suitably xed at 3|to a door post 32 or other structure similarly located with respect tothe door I3. Y

Formed on the side of the striker plate 30 opposite the latch bolt I6are notches 33 and 34. Shoulders 35 and 36 are provided adjacent eachnotch 33 and 34 respectively, and ramps 31 and 38 areprovided on theright side of the striker plate adjacent the shoulders 35 and 36respectively.

In the operation of this particular embodiment of the invention, as thedoor is moved toward its closed position of Fig. l, the rounded outerextremityof the sheathing 26 engages the striker plate 30 at the irstramp `38, and further closing movement of the door causes the latch boltI0 to be urged inwardly against the action of the spring lI8 until thesheathing 26 passes over the shoulder 36. When the latch bolt sheathingv reaches this position the latch bolt is projected resulting noise isinsulated from the door I3 by the rubber 25.

Further closing movement of the door I3 causes the latch bolt I0 to beretracted against the action of the spring I8 by the second ramp 31, andwhen the doorr I3 has reached its fully closed position the sheathing 26of the latch bolt is projected quietly into the second notch 33 wherethe door I3 remains insulated from the post 32 by the rubber 25 untilthe handle IIB has turned clockwisely to bring the latch bolt l!! out oflatching engagement with the strikerplate 30.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 5 in which is shown a modiiied form of theimproved latch bolt, the construction and operation is substantially thesame as that illustrated inthe earlier described embodiment. Members ofd iierent constructionk but similar function to those of the aforesaidembodiment have been indicated by primed reference characters. In thisform of the invention the end portions of the sheet metal of which thesheathing 26 is formed are bent inwardly to provide flanges 21 and 28which extend into transversely extending grooves 23 and 24',respectively, in the reduced end portion 22 of the bolt.` The endportions of the rubber layer 25 are reversely bent within the groove andthe anges 21 and 2 8 are disposed between adjacent sections of thereversely bent part of thisv rubber layer. The sheathing k26 maycomprise resilient material having a contracting gripping t on the outerend of the latch bolt or it Vmay be formed oi material which may becrimped firmly thereon as explained in connection with the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. Relative lateral movementbetween the sheathing 26 and the rubber is prevented by depressing aportion of the former as at 39. The rubber of the improved latch boltserves to cushion the engagement of the latter with the door latch plateand also prevents the direct transmission of sound vibrations from thebolt to the metal panel structure of the vehicle. In this manner,amplication of the sound created by the metal-to-metal Contact of thesheathing 26 and the striker plate 36 is reduced.

Various modincations and changes may be effectedin the illustratedapplications without departing from the spirit of the invention or fromthe scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A latch bolt comprising a main body portion having a keeper engagingend portion, a sheathing l main body portion comprising resilientmaterial having sound insulating properties for substantially completelyinsulating said keeper engaging .end portion from said sheathing whileresiliently accommodating relative yielding movement therebetween.

3. A latch bolt comprising a main body portion having a keeper engagingend portion, a sheet metal sheathing disposed around said keeperengaging end portion, resilient material interposed between saidsheathing and said keeper engaging end portion, and means for securingsaid sheathing and said material against displacement y from said mainbody portion.

4. A latch bolt comprising a main body portion having a keeper engagingend portion, a layer of rubber disposed over the'extremity and adjacentopposed surfaces of said keeper engaging end portions, and a sheathingdisposed over said rubber layer and comprising resilient material havinga contracting gripping engagement on said rubber layer and said keeperengaging end portion.

5.Y A latch bolt comprising a main body portion having a keeper engagingend portion, a layer of rubber disposed over the extremity and adjacentopposed surfaces of said keeper engaging end portion, and a metalsheathing enveloping said layer 'of rubber having means thereon coactingwith said body portion for holding said sheathing and rubber layeragainst lateral movement with respect to said body portion.

6. A latch bolt comprising a main body portion having a keeper engagingend part provided with recesses in respectively opposite sides thereof,a

a pair of spaced recesses in one of two of its opposite sides and atransversely extending groove in the other of said sides, a layer ofnon-metallic, yieldable sound insulating material enveloping theextremity and said sides of said keeper engaging end part and havingreversely bent end portions extending into said recesses, and a sheetmetal sheathing disposed over said layer and having anges on itsopposite extremities, one extending into each recess and said grooverespectively and between adjacent sections of the reversely bentportions of said layer.

ROY E. BLUE.

